1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing service method and a printing service system for providing a printing service to users via a network. The present invention also relates to a computer-readable recording medium storing a program to cause a computer to execute the printing service method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital photographic service systems for carrying out digital photographic services such as storing photographic images obtained by users in image servers after digitization of the images, providing the images to the users by recording the images in CD-Rs, and receiving orders for additional prints, have been known. As one form of such systems, a network photographic service system for storing (registering) users, digital images in a system of a service provider and receiving printing orders or the like via a network such as the Internet has also been proposed.
In such a network photographic service system, in order to provide digital photographic services to users, a server computer having a scanner, a printer, and a large-capacity disc (hereinafter called an image server) is installed in a wholesale laboratory. Photographs obtained by users are stored as image data in the image server. Alternatively, image data obtained by users are transferred to the image server. By enabling the users to access the image server via a network, various kinds of services, such as ordering an additional print, attaching a photographic image to an email message, and downloading of image data, are provided. In such a service, a user accesses the image server by using predetermined application software installed in his/her personal computer or in an order-placing apparatus installed in a DPE store or the like, and orders an additional print or the like on a screen of a Web site. Meanwhile, in the laboratory, photographic processing such as generation of an additional print, a picture postcard, an album, and a composite image, and trimming is carried out on image data based on order information from the user. Data after the processing are transferred to the user or an e-mail message notifying completion of the processing is sent to the user, for example.
The “order information” herein referred to is information such as a processing number indicating the content of a service (such as generation of an additional print or a postcard), an image number specifying a photograph, a print size, the quantity of prints, a quality of printing paper (such as glossy or non-glossy), a thickness of the paper, the content of photographic processing, and trimming specification, for example. The order information also includes information related to the user, such as the name, an address, and a phone number.
For reception of such a printing service, the user registers user information such as the name, the address, the phone number, and a credit-card number with a service provider and receives authentication information such as a user ID and a password. In order to use the printing service, the user accesses the image server of the service provider and inputs the authentication information on the screen of the Web site for providing the service. The Web screen becomes ready for input of order information and the printing service is provided.
However, the user may have registered himself/herself with various kinds of service providers such as an Internet provider, a mail-order service provider, and a mailing service provider, in addition to the printing service provider. Therefore, the user often has various items of authentication information. For this reason, the user has to use appropriate authentication information for each of the services, which is troublesome for the user. Furthermore, a desired service may not be received if the user forgets or erroneously memorizes a user ID or a password. Moreover, since the printing service system has original functions such as transfer of the order information and the image data, and preview of an image, a service provider not dedicated to the printing service has difficulty in entering the printing service.